By Kris Catherine Bautista
With the upcoming 2025 Philippine midterm elections, Rappler invited Iloilo youth leaders to confront election-related disinformation and propaganda.
Through its civic engagement arm MovePH, Rappler partnered with #FactsFirstPH, University of the Philippines Visayas, Daily Guardian, iWrite, and Vital Signs for the #AmbagNatin: Championing Facts for an Informed Choice roadshow. The event featured a public forum attended by over 120 participants on Nov. 19 at the UP Visayas Little Theater in Iloilo City.
Informed Choices Start Here
Rappler’s head of Civic Engagement, Samantha Bagayas, highlighted the collective responsibility in elections, inviting speakers and participants from various sectors, including civic organizations and the academe.
“Regardless of your affiliation or status, you are going to be involved in the elections, and we all have the capacity to influence other people. This is about giving people the skills to make informed choices and rely on verified sources of information,” she stressed.
The public forum featured talks by Rappler’s Disinformation and Platforms Lead Researcher, Gemma Mendoza, and Daily Guardian’s Editor-in-Chief, Francis Allan Angelo.
Mendoza discussed the critical role of credible sources during elections, while Angelo highlighted the local media’s role in promoting facts during Iloilo’s elections.
Afterward, panelists from various advocacy-driven organizations, both inside and outside the academe, participated in a discussion fostering a diverse and dynamic exchange of ideas.
“Not only are we getting prominent figures, but also representatives in the community who might be familiar to the audience because they can see themselves in the panelists,” said Bagayas.
Panelists included Mendoza, Angelo, UP Visayas Division of Humanities Chairperson Professor Katherine Valencia, Vital Signs’ Editor-in-Chief Franco Miguel Nodado, and Lente UP Visayas Chapter President Jaztine Marcial.
Rappler’s multimedia reporter Dwight de Leon served as the moderator.
Shaping Informed Voters
Throughout the discussion, the panelists shared the importance of facts amid disinformation and encouraged active audience participation in the forthcoming elections.
Mendoza highlighted the risks posed by AI-generated content, citing examples of deepfake audio that could influence public perception during elections.
Professor Valencia shared insights on the use of multimodal literacy in examining media texts, emphasizing its role in critically assessing politicians’ campaigns, particularly on social media.
“Mas nabibigay yung kapangyarihan sa audiences in terms of identifying critically ano mga plataporma nila, na maraming paraan para himay-himayin ang media text na binabasa,” said Valencia.
Students actively engaged by sharing insights and takeaways through the Rappler Communities app’s community channel and voter hotline, enriching the discussion with diverse perspectives and real-time feedback.
For example, online community member “Roxanne” noted that while being informed is easy, ensuring information is factual is challenging, especially with the increase of trolls and fake news websites in past elections.
Karl Jaesop Sapul, a student from Western Visayas State University College of Communication, expressed concern about how those attempting to correct and educate others are often painted negatively by society.
Despite such challenges, Nodado urged students to persevere against disinformation and election propaganda.
Angelo emphasized the importance of preparing future generations, stating, “If we don’t do our jobs on explaining things, what will that generation come to? Their capacity to analyze and discern will be subpar. Our purpose is to help the youth analyze.”
Marcial underscored the need for educational discussions at the grassroots level, particularly with barangays and the youth as primary audiences.
“The people, the masses specifically, can actually somehow analyze or grasp abstract information if and only if communicated properly and in the proper platforms,” said Marcial.
From Discussion to Action
To conclude, Rappler recognized participants’ key takeaways, which highlighted the audience’s realizations and learning.
“Whatever we write or report is not just for us, but for the people and the betterment of our country. As the election approaches, let’s remember our voices are our power—never let them silence our voices,” remarked an online community member, “Alana.”
Another online member, “Jeanette,” reiterated the importance of applying media literacy as responsible consumers to maintain truth and democracy in the country.
The forum served as a platform for students to converse with representatives from various sectors, aiming to expand knowledge for making informed choices in the upcoming elections and beyond.
From Advocacy to Action
Iloilo City, as the first stop of Rappler’s #AmbagNatin Roadshow, built on its previous campaign through the #FactsFirstPH roadshow held in 2023.
UP Visayas hosted the event for the second year, continuing its collaboration with Rappler to promote responsible digital media use. This partnership began with Professor Dr. Zoilo S. Andrada Jr., who initiated the first #FactsFirstPH roadshow and led to a Memorandum of Understanding between UP Visayas and Rappler.
“With everything that transpired last year, Rappler could see how Ilonggo youth leaders amplify their voices on critical issues of disinformation and fake news,” said Dr. Andrada.
The #AmbagNatin roadshow focused on empowering voters to make informed choices for the 2025 elections, addressing disinformation, AI-generated content, and political propaganda in digital spaces.
